How formal is formal?

[bowlers]

I'm looking forward to donning a bow tie on formal nights but my wife is worried about what to wear! Please could you tell me what ladies wear apart from the full length gowns as she is not that keen on dressing up. We are first time cruisers and would appreciate some help and advice.

[jeanlyon]

I have never worn a full length dress. I have three or four calf length, plus a couple of knee length cocktail type dresses. If you are wearing a DJ and bow tie, then she would need to compliment you eh? :-) By the way, I bought three of my dresses on Ebay and they are gorgeous.

[Rum Rat]

Have a look at the last two pictures on http://www.myalbum.com/Album-UI8UK7XD-Photos-of-Other.html that was a Formal night.

 

Don't worry or panic.

 

Mike

[blitznbobs]

I'm a long evening gown girl personally (but then I always liked dressing up!) but lots of ladies wear wide leg trousers and a sparkley top and don't look out of place.

 

Bx

[jocap]

I don't enjoy dressing up at all, but fit in for the sake of everyone else....I have velvet trousers, and a long black dress, both of which can be dressed up with sparkly tops and shawls...I buy evening trousers and skirts in the sales, which I keep for cruises, in my cruising drawer!

Jo

[CRUISENSNOOZE]

I'm looking forward to donning a bow tie on formal nights but my wife is worried about what to wear! Please could you tell me what ladies wear apart from the full length gowns as she is not that keen on dressing up. We are first time cruisers and would appreciate some help and advice.

Hi Bowlers - I only have calf length cocktail type dresses. Good time now while the sales are on to buy a dress!!. I also have some plain black wide silk type evening trousers which I wear various sparkly tops with and they are perfectly acceptable. Don't worry, just go and enjoy yourself and have a wonderful time.

[tom_uk]

As well as long gowns, cocktail dresses and 'dressy pants' + a luxury top are often worn.

 

I don't know what cruise you're doing or how long it is, but in general on P&O there are two formal nights per week. However, they may differ slightly. The first one (often on the second evening of the cruise, especially if that day has been spent at sea) is the Captain's Gala, and that tends to be the dressiest. Then on a 14-night cruise it's common for one of the later formal nights to be described as 'black & white night', when the ladies restrict their clothes to (you guessed it) black and white. My wife generally takes a pair of black dressy pants which she wears to two formal nights; one of the tops will be white and the other will be some other colour. Hey presto, she's got the black & white evening covered as well as one of the others.

[LibraLass41]

Presume we are to look at the last 2 photos Mike and not the tshirt and trousers photos for a formal night? You didn't actually say:confused: -

 

To the thread POSTER,

Lots of formalwear in the shops now in the Sales....Its the ideal time for your wife to find some clothes for formal nights. Dresses, cocktail or long, wraps, evening bags all 1/2 price in Monsoon, Lewis's Debenhams, PhaseEight, M&S, Wallis etc etc.

 

My shop M&Co also have great bargains now, including evening tops and black evening trousers.

I would take the lady-wife along this week and grab yourselves some bargains. Very hard to find a decent selection at the rest of the year, and then expect to pay full price ie. £150+ for a evening dress.

[LibraLass41]

To the thread POSTER,

Lots of formalwear in the shops now in the Sales....Its the ideal time for your wife to find some clothes for formal nights. Dresses, cocktail or long, wraps, evening bags all 1/2 price in Monsoon, Lewis's Debenhams, PhaseEight, M&S, Wallis etc etc.

 

My shop M&Co also have great bargains now, including evening tops and black evening trousers.

I would take the lady-wife along this week and grab yourselves some bargains. Very hard to find a decent selection at the rest of the year, and then expect to pay full price ie. £150+ for a evening dress.

 

link to M&Co here, items can be delivered free toyour nearest store, or for a small delivery charge:

 

http://www.mandco.com/Ladies/Partywear/icat/10010240

[LibraLass41]

Ignore post 8 my apologies Mike.:rolleyes:

Unable to delete post.

[Rum Rat]

Ignore post 8 my apologies Mike.:rolleyes:

Unable to delete post.

 

:):):)

 

The Tee Shirts said, "They have been married for 50 years and they got were these four lousy kids" ....... thus the back of the tee shirts :rolleyes:

 

:D

[Presto2]

To the thread POSTER,

Lots of formalwear in the shops now in the Sales....Its the ideal time for your wife to find some clothes for formal nights. Dresses, cocktail or long, wraps, evening bags all 1/2 price in Monsoon, Lewis's Debenhams, PhaseEight, M&S, Wallis etc etc.

 

My shop M&Co also have great bargains now, including evening tops and black evening trousers.

I would take the lady-wife along this week and grab yourselves some bargains. Very hard to find a decent selection at the rest of the year, and then expect to pay full price ie. £150+ for a evening dress.

 

 

Don't suppose you can recommend if they would do a nice 'posh frock' for someone size 8 / 10 & only 5 ft tall --------- not a cocktail dress though (legs too dumpy !!!!) Got 2 fab evening dresses last year in the sales that fitted well (because they should have been 5 inches off the floor!) but would like an evening dress rather than a 'ball gown' and can't find anything anywhere !!! May need to get those scissors and the needles and thread out ----------------

 

Help appreciated !!!!!!:):):)

[Jo and Rob]

I'm looking forward to donning a bow tie on formal nights but my wife is worried about what to wear! Please could you tell me what ladies wear apart from the full length gowns as she is not that keen on dressing up. We are first time cruisers and would appreciate some help and advice.

 

Have a great cruise Mum and Dad!

You will both look fantastic, I have no doubt, whether Mum wears a dress or a pair of trousers and a sparkly top. Just enjoy it. :)

[Lewing]

You can also get some black chiffon type skirts and then have many different sparkly tops to go with them together with some bling jewellery

Linda

[Meg50]

You can also get some black chiffon type skirts and then have many different sparkly tops to go with them together with some bling jewellery

Linda

where can I buy long evening skirts? It's proving difficult

[wilson2579]

I have seen a few in different shops in the sales. Debenhams. BHS, Bon Marche, M and S, Roman Originals are a few shops I have seen them in. Hope this helps. Trish

[Host Sharon]

where can I buy long evening skirts? It's proving difficult

 

 

My three have come from the Kaleidoscope catalogue or Joseph Ribkoff. The latter are great (although not cheap) as they do not crease and wash and drip dry.

[boozer21]

Agree with all of above. What I will add is that having just come back from 4 week Christmas cruise I felt that many were what I would call "overdressed" on smart casual nights or maybe I was underdressed as I took summer dresses and linen trousers and many were in sparkles!!